![Italian 500cc rider Valentino Rossi pulls his Nastro Azzurro Honda out of a curve during qualifying for Rio Grand Prix at the Nelson Piquet circuit in Rio de Janeiro, November 1, 2001. Italian 500cc rider Valentino Rossi pulls his Nastro Azzurro Honda out of a curve during qualifying for Rio Grand Prix at the Nelson Piquet circuit in Rio de Janeiro, November 1, 2001.](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2D3X4D1/italian-500cc-rider-valentino-rossi-pulls-his-nastro-azzurro-honda-out-of-a-curve-during-qualifying-for-rio-grand-prix-at-the-nelson-piquet-circuit-in-rio-de-janeiro-november-1-2001-the-rio-grand-prix-races-will-take-place-on-november-3-reuterssergio-moraes-smhk-2D3X4D1.jpg)
Italian 500cc rider Valentino Rossi pulls his Nastro Azzurro Honda out of a curve during qualifying for Rio Grand Prix at the Nelson Piquet circuit in Rio de Janeiro, November 1, 2001.
![Valentino Rossi's 2001 – 2002 MotoGP Championship Race Winning Honda NSR 500 | WeRideMotorsports.com Valentino Rossi's 2001 – 2002 MotoGP Championship Race Winning Honda NSR 500 | WeRideMotorsports.com](https://weridemotorsports.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/rossi-honda-nsr-500-motogp-bike-01-02.jpg)
Valentino Rossi's 2001 – 2002 MotoGP Championship Race Winning Honda NSR 500 | WeRideMotorsports.com
![Brief History of the 500cc Two-Stroke GP Bikes - Motorcycle news, Motorcycle reviews from Malaysia, Asia and the world - BikesRepublic.com Brief History of the 500cc Two-Stroke GP Bikes - Motorcycle news, Motorcycle reviews from Malaysia, Asia and the world - BikesRepublic.com](https://www.bikesrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Valentino-Rossi-on-the-NSR500-in-2001.png)
Brief History of the 500cc Two-Stroke GP Bikes - Motorcycle news, Motorcycle reviews from Malaysia, Asia and the world - BikesRepublic.com
![MotoGP Fan Zone on Twitter: "MotoGP Classics - 2000 British GP: Rossi's first 500c win https://t.co/4rZKRHs05w" / Twitter MotoGP Fan Zone on Twitter: "MotoGP Classics - 2000 British GP: Rossi's first 500c win https://t.co/4rZKRHs05w" / Twitter](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CJbakGDUMAEUdqQ.jpg)
MotoGP Fan Zone on Twitter: "MotoGP Classics - 2000 British GP: Rossi's first 500c win https://t.co/4rZKRHs05w" / Twitter
![LASTLAP.GP on Twitter: "2000-2001. Before moving to the MotoGP era, Valentino Rossi raced two seasons with the 500c bikes, where he achieved his first World Championship in the premier class. Give me LASTLAP.GP on Twitter: "2000-2001. Before moving to the MotoGP era, Valentino Rossi raced two seasons with the 500c bikes, where he achieved his first World Championship in the premier class. Give me](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ErxD0PJXUAAOVK5.jpg)